Last night I attended my first independently organised TED event, TEDx EmeraldCity.

The event was organised by the ever dynamic and always delightful Melissa O’Young. The name of the event sounds pretty random, and it is, but it is also quite clever. Since this was an Australian TED event the thinking was as follows: Australia – Oz – Wizard of Oz – Emeral City … but of course!

There were twelve of us at the event, all from a diverse range of backgrounds: artist, journalists, lawyers, bloggers, photographer, fashion design, financier, film producers, travellers, and entrepreneurs.   It certainly was an interesting and unlikely group of people to be assembled in the one place, not your ordinary pizza and beer night.

The evening was driven by the high minded desire to share interesting and important ideas, watch a number of TEDTalks videos, network with people from outside our normal group or friends, and to get inspired by new ideas, projects and opportunities. It was an engaging and thought provoking evening, and I feel lucky to have been a part of it.

Over the course of the evening we watched four TEDTalks videos, all very different, all of them fascinating. If you’re interested, I have linked to each them:

1. Alain de Botton: A kinder, gentler philosophy of success
2. Dave Eggers’ wish: Once Upon a School
3. Rick Smolan tells the story of a girl
4. Eric Lewis plays chaos and harmony

My personal favourite is the one by Alain de Botton on his kinder, gentler philosophy of success.  This talk is particularly relevant and eye opening to all of us who strive for “success”, what ever that may mean. Check it out!